HS FOOTBALL: Coaches focusing on little things in Stanton, Coahoma

Published 11:58 am, Wednesday, August 7, 2013

Stanrton head coach John Peterson works with his players during practice. Tim Fischer\Reporter-Telegram

Stanrton head coach John Peterson works with his players during practice. Tim Fischer\Reporter-Telegram

Photo: Tim Fischer

HS FOOTBALL: Coaches focusing on little things in Stanton, Coahoma

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A quick road trip on Wednesday morning to Martin and Howard Counties provided some interesting tidbits at practices for Stanton and Coahoma.

The most interesting one was that it seems like at every other elementary and junior high school in the Permian Basin, their numbers are rising.

Stanton head football coach John Peterson said that the numbers they turn into the University Interscholastic League later this fall could actually be down from the last time because of some kids moving away. But he said that the classes at the elementary schools are bursting from the seams.

It’s a similar situation in Coahoma where coach Trey Gardner said he had about 40 players come out for football this fall, which he admitted was down a little bit. But when I asked him about numbers in the elementary, he said they are overflowing.

These numbers will have no effect on realignment for either school come February, but what’s interesting is that while this area is booming economically, football teams are not seeing a whole lot of kids move in to high school.

There are a few, and Gardner pointed one out to me who came from Oklahoma. But overall, football teams in this area may not see the effects of the boom until a few years down the road.

Here’s also a few other observations from the two practices:

- I’ve got to give Peterson credit for working on something in special teams that is tiny in the grand scheme of things but it’s something that can happen in a game. During their field goal work, the Buffaloes special teams were working on covering on long field goal attempts.

For most teams, when a team returns a kick on short missed field goal, it’s kind of like a mad scramble to figure out what is going on. It’s cool that Peterson is preparing his kids for that type of situation because Stanton typically has players who can make field goals.

- Chatting with coach Gardner was cool because of his allegiance to the Wing-T offense. Yes, he’s put in some wrinkles, including using a pistol formation. He said, though, that the lineman don’t know anything different when a play is called.

But he’s one of the few that are still using the offense in the state, and joked, “I’m just too dumb to do anything else.” I don’t believe that, but I think he’s like a fox in knowing that not many teams run it anymore and that does give him and advantage.

Plus, he said he does make that former Permian coach Gary Gaines was out on Monday, and he talked to him about running the offense, and also stays in contact with former Monahans mentor Brin Holland.